WINDHOEK -- Namibia's Ministry of Environment and Tourism, in collaboration with the Indian Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), has organized here an African nations experience workshop aimed at strengthening Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations.

The ywo-day workshop is being held following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two institutions in 2017.

Opening the two-day workshop here Monday in a speech read on his behalf, Environment and Tourism Minister Pohamba Shifeta said Environmental Impact and Strategic Assessments are key decision-making tools to control and minimise the environment impact activities that are likely to have significant effects on the environment.

Shifeta emphasised that the use of environmental impact assessments should be particularly important to African countries, where regulatory frameworks are often found to be weak, leaving countries vulnerable to environmental degradation from economic activities such as mining and infrastructure development.

"The objective is to identify the best combination of economic, environmental and social costs as well as benefits between developing countries in order to make informed decisions towards sustainable development," said Shifeta.

He noted that as Namibia continues to industrialise, the demand for environmental clearance will continue to increase, hence there is a need to be more streamlined and efficient in handling the Environmental Impact Assessment review process.